Article (Scientific journals)
A look at Intact Forest Landscapes and their relevance in Central African forest policy
Haurez, Barbara; Daïnou, Kasso; Vermeulen, Cédric et al.
2017In Forest Policy and Economics, 80, p. 192-199
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Keywords :
Central Africa; Conservation; Forest management policy; Intact Forest Landscapes
Abstract :
[en] Tropical forests are major providers of natural resources and ecosystem services but their ecological functions are at threat, due to increasing human pressure linked to economic development. The identification of priority areas for conservation is crucial for land use planning to ensure the protection of biodiversity and ecological function. Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs), as defined by Greenpeace and World Resources Institute (WRI), are areas of the forest ecosystems not subjected to human activities. They have beenidentified by mapping human disturbances through remote sensing. Contrary to similar global-scale concepts, IFLs have been integrated into the standards of the certification body Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and therefore have practical implications for forest management policies. The Motion 65, approved in the general assembly of FSC in 2014, mandates the protection of IFLs located in FSC certified logging concessions. Until the implementation of national standards, forestry operations are banished from 80% of the IFL area within each forest management unit. To trace the history and evaluate the suitability of IFLs in the Central African context, we searched for documents related to the IFL method, and related approaches focusing on the identification of areas devoid of human disturbances. The IFL method is simple and cost-effective and allows for a global assessment of the influence of human infrastructures and industrial exploitation on forests However, the method does not consider the situation below the canopy and those forest components not visible by satellites. For example, hunting, one of the main threats faced by wildlife in Central African forests today, cannot be detected with satellite imagery. On the other hand, other anthropogenic activities which remote sensing may detect may be compatible with forest ecosystem conservation. To better tailor the IFL approach to Central African forests, we recommend (i) the consideration of wildlife communities in the intactness analysis, (ii) a thorough evaluation of the impacts of human activities on forest ecosystems, and (iii) the integration of local stakeholders and governments in the design of land management strategies to respond to social, economic and environmental needs
Disciplines :
Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
Haurez, Barbara ;  Université de Liège > Ingénierie des biosystèmes (Biose) > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Daïnou, Kasso  ;  Université de Liège > Ingénierie des biosystèmes (Biose) > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Vermeulen, Cédric ;  Université de Liège > Ingénierie des biosystèmes (Biose) > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Kleinschroth, Fritz
Mortier, Frédéric
Gourlet-Fleury, Sylvie
Doucet, Jean-Louis ;  Université de Liège > Ingénierie des biosystèmes (Biose) > Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales
Language :
English
Title :
A look at Intact Forest Landscapes and their relevance in Central African forest policy
Publication date :
2017
Journal title :
Forest Policy and Economics
ISSN :
1389-9341
eISSN :
1872-7050
Publisher :
Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Volume :
80
Pages :
192-199
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
AFD - Agence Française de Développement [FR]
Available on ORBi :
since 05 April 2017

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